XClose

Climate Change

Home
Menu

Our community of experts

We have a whole community of people working on climate change at UCL to look at the challenge from every possible angle. Here is just a selection of our colleagues who are using their expertise, ideas and commitment to create change at local, national and global scale. You can contact them to find out more.

Meet our colleagues below:

Our researchersClimate action on campusClimate Hub


Our researchers


UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE 

Helen Bennion
Prof Helen Bennion
Professor of Environmental Change
Dept of Geography
Climate focus: the impacts of climate change on fresh waters
More about Helen / Email Helen
Chris Brierley
Dr Chris Brierley
Associate Professor of Climate Science
Dept of Geography
Climate focus: modeling simulations of past climates and projections of the coming one 
More about Chris / Email Chris
Helen Czerski
Dr Helen Czerski
Dept of Mechanical Engineering
Climate focus: bubbles in the open ocean influencing air-sea gas transfer
More about Helen / Email Helen
Mat Disney
Prof Mat Disney
Professor of Remote Sensing
Dept of Geography
Climate focus: form and function of forests from tropical to urban
More about Mat / Email Mat
Julienne Stroeve
Prof Julienne Stroeve
Professor of Polar Observation & Modelling
Dept of Earth Sciences
Climate focus: Documenting the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice and implications within the Arctic and beyond
More about Julienne / Email Julienne
Prof Julian Thompson
Prof Julian Thompson
Professor of Physical Geography – Hydrology and Wetlands
Climate focus: modelling hydro-ecological impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems in particular wetlands 
More about Julian / Email Julian
David Thornalley
Prof David Thornalley

Professor of Ocean and Climate Science
Dept of Geography
Climate focus: developing records of how the ocean and its ecosystems are changing
More about David / Email David

 

 

THE ANTHROPOCENE

Andrew Barry
Prof Andrew Barry
Professor of Human Geography
Co-convenor of the UCL Anthropocene Initiative
Climate focus: the relation between scientific expertise and politics
More about Andrew / Email Andrew
Julia Stegemann
Prof Julia Stegemann
Professor of Environmental Engineering / Director of UCL CircEL (The Circular Economy Lab)
Climate focus: waste and the Circular Economy
More about Julia / Email Julia
Mark Maslin
Prof Mark Maslin
Professor of Earth System Science
Themes also covered: Modelling and Understanding Climate Change, Climate Resilience and Adaptation, Climate Justice and Governance
Climate focus: climate change in the past, the present and the future
More about Mark / Email Mark
Rodney Harrison
Prof Rodney Harrison
Professor of Heritage Studies/Co-Director of the UCL Centre for Critical Heritage Studies
Theme also covered: Climate Resilience and Adaptation
Climate focus: cultural responses to the Anthropocene, extinction and climate crises/the role of heritage and museums in climate mitigation, adaptation and action
More about Rodney / Email Dorian
Richard Taylor
Prof Richard Taylor
Professor of Hydrogeology
Department of Geography
Themes also covered: Understanding Climate Change, Climate Justice and Governance
Climate focus: Climate-resilient pathways to water and food security in tropical Africa and Asia
More about Richard / Email Richard
Muki Haklay
Prof Muki Haklay
Professor of Geographical Information Science
Dept of Geography
Themes also covered: The Anthropocene, Climate Justice and Governance
Climate focus: Public production of environmental information, through citizen science, to address climate change
More about Muki / Email Muki

CLIMATE JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE

Lisa Vanhala
Lisa Vanhala
Professor of Political Science
Climate focus: climate change politics and responsibility with expertise on Climate Change Loss and Damage, Climate Change Litigation and Climate Change and Human Rights
More about Lisa / Email Lisa
Nicola Walshe
Professor Nicola Walshe
Professor of Education / Director, UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education / Head of Department, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Climate focus: high quality teacher education practices in climate change and environmental and sustainability education
More about Nicola / Email Nicola
Simon Chin-Yee
Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Lecturer in political sciences
Climate focus: The intersectionality of climate policy, human security and economic growth, with a focus on Africa and small island states. Current project examines the decarbonisation of the maritime sector in Eastern and Southern Africa.
More about Simon / Email Simon
Hannah Knox
Dr Hannah Knox
Associate Professor of Anthropology / Director, UCL Centre for Digital Anthropology 
Theme also covered: Climate Justice and Governance
Climate focus: climate change as an anthropological problem and implications of climate science for contemporary ways of governing and knowing society
More about Hannah / Email Hannah
Maria Lee
Prof Maria Lee
Professor of Law
Climate focus: the ways in which law governs decision making on climate change, including for example the consenting of renewable energy infrastructure 
More about Maria / Email Maria
Eloise Scotford
Prof Eloise Scotford
Professor of Environmental Law
Climate focus: climate legislation, climate adjudication, and institutions governing climate change
More about Eloise / Email Eloise
Jane Holder
Prof Jane Holder
Professor of Environmental Law
Climate justice with a focus on air pollution and loss of open green spaces and potential for using law in a creative way to achieve climate justice.
More about Jane / Email Jane

 

 

BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT

Susan Michie
Prof Susan Michie
Professor of Health Psychology / Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change
Climate focus: population, organisational and individual level interventions 
More about Susan / Email Susan
Jacqueline Glass
Prof Jacqueline Glass
Professor of Construction Management
Climate focus: net zero construction products, processes, and projects
More about Jacqueline / Email Jacqueline
Tadj Oreszczyn
Prof Tadj Oreszczyn
Professor of Energy and Environment
UCL Energy Institute 
Climate focus: the performance gap between theory and practice in building energy efficiency. 
More on Tadj / Email Tadj
Alistair Greig
Prof Alistair Greig
Professor of Marine Engineering
Climate focus: making shipping more environmentally friendly via design, engineering, education and policy
More about Alistair / Email Alistair
Catalina Turcu
Dr Catalina Turcu
Associate Professor of Sustainable Development and Planning
Climate focus: social and institutional aspects of climate change in the built environment
More about Catalina / Email Catalina
Helena Titheridge
Prof Helena Titheridge
Professor of Mobility and Sustainable Transport 
Climate focus: approaches to increasing the use of low carbon transport options
More about Helena / Email Helena
 

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Paola Lettieri
Prof Paola Lettieri
Director UCL East  / Professor of Chemical Engineering / Head, Fluidization and Life Cycle Assessment Research Group, Faculty of Engineering Sciences
Climate focus: waste management, clean energy and life cycle analysis
More about Paola / Email Paola
Junwang Tang
Prof Junwang Tang
Professor of Materials Chemistry & Engineering
Climate focus: renewable H2 fuel production and CO2 conversion
More about Junwang / Email Junwang
Priti Parikh
Dr Priti Parikh 
Associate Professor / Head of UCL Engineering for International Development Centre
Climate focus: smart solar and clean cooking solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa
More about Priti / Email Priti
Dr Rokia Raslan
Dr Rokia Raslan
Bartlett Vice Dean Enterprise / Associate Professor, Building Performance Simulation
Climate focus: Supporting the retrofit drive to create energy efficient buildings fit for the future 
More about Rokia / Email Rokia
Paul Shearing
Prof Paul Shearing
Professor of Chemical Engineering, Royal Academy of Engineering / Chair in Emerging Battery Technologies
Climate focus: low carbon energy storage and conversion including fuel cells and batteries
More about Paul / Email Paul
Thorsten Stoesser
Prof Thorsten Stoesser
Professor of Civil Engineering Fluid Mechanics, Leader of CEGE’s Fluid Mechanics Research Group
Climate focus: generation of renewable energy from wind and water
More about Thorsten / Email Thorsten
 

 

CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION

Chris Rapley
Prof Chris Rapley
Professor of Climate Science
Climate focus: the role of climate scientists in societal decision making, public policy and public awareness      
More about Chris / Email Chris
CJ Lim
Prof CJ Lim
Professor of Architecture and Urbanism
Theme also covered: Built Environment and Transport
Climate focus: design research which addresses the threat and the shaping of resilient cities
More about  CJ / Email CJ
Ian Kelman
Prof Ilan Kelman
Professor of Disasters and Health
Themes also covered: The Anthropocene, Sustainable Energy Solutions, Climate Justice and Governance
Climate focus: Climate change as one important influence among many on resilience and adaptation
More about Ilan / Email Ilan
May Cassar
Prof May Cassar
Professor of Sustainable Heritage
Themes also covered: Built environment and transport
Climate focus: Applying heritage science to climate change impacts on heritage and information policy
More about May / Email May
Michael Davies
Prof Michael Davies
Professor of Building Physics and Environment
Theme also covered: Climate Resilience and Adaptation
Climate focus: healthy and comfortable built environments in the context of a changing climate
More about Michael / Email Michael
Peter Irvine
Dr Peter Irvine 
Lecturer at UCL Earth Sciences  
Climate focus: evaluating the potential, limits and risks of solar geoengineering.
Co-host of the Challenging Climate podcast
More about Peter / Email Peter

HUMAN HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Anthony Costello
Prof Anthony Costello
Professor of Global Health and Sustainable Development
Climate Focus: led the 2009 and 2014 Lancet Climate Commissions on Climate Change and Health; co-chair of a countdown series of annual Lancet reports to monitor the evolving health profile of climate change
More on Anthony / Email Anthony
Hugh Montgomery
Prof Hugh Montgomery
Professor of Intensive Care Medicine
UCL Dept Medicine
Climate focus: climate change and human health; co-chairs Lancet Countdown
More about Hugh / Email Hugh
Sanjay Sisodiya
Prof Sanjay Sisodiya
Professor of Neurology
Dept of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy
Climate focus: understanding, managing and raising awareness of climate change effects in epilepsy
More about Sanjay / Email Sanjay
Megan Vaughan
Prof Megan Vaughan
Professor of African History and Health
Theme also covered: Climate Resilience and Adaptation
Climate focus: the history of agrarian systems and nutrition in Africa in relation to health and sustainability 
More about Megan / Email Megan
Jenny Mindell
Prof Jenny Mindell
Professor of Public Health
Climate focus: low carbon transport policies reducing inequalities and having health-promoting co-benefits
More about Jenny / Email Jenny
Ian Hamilton
Dr Ian Hamilton
Reader in Energy Epidemiology
Climate focus: Evaluating climate mitigation in buildings and their impact on indoor environmental conditions associated effects on health
More about Ian / Email Ian

SUSTAINABLE ECONOMICS AND FINANCE

Paul Ekins
Prof Paul Ekins
Director / Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy 
UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources
Climate focus: the economic implications of deep decarbonisation/net zero
More on Paul / Email Paul
Le-Yin Zhang
Prof Le-Yin Zhang
Professor of Urban Economic Development
Climate focus: the implications of climate change for urban economies
More about Le-Yin / Email Le-Yin
Neil Strachan
Prof Neil Strachan
Professor of Energy Economics and Modelling
Director UCL Energy Institute
Theme also covered: Sustainable Economics and Finance
Climate focus: energy-environment-economic modelling, transitions pathways, and interdisciplinary issues in energy economics and policy.
More about Neil / Email Neil
Michael Grubb
Prof Michael Grubb
Professor of Energy and Climate Change / Deputy Director
UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources
Climate focus: economics and political economy of energy transition and climate change 
More about Michael / Email Michael
Dabo Guan
Prof Dabo Guan
Professor of Climate Change Economics
School of Construction and Project Management
Climate focus: climate change mitigation and adaptation economics and policies in developing countries 
More about Dabo / Email Dabo

 

BIODIVERSITY, ECOLOGY AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS

Kate Jones
Prof Kate E Jones 
Professor of Ecology & Biodiversity / Director of the UCL People & Nature Lab, Biosciences 
Climate focus: impact of climate on rate of spread of human infectious diseases from animals, nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation actions.
Theme also covered: Response of biodiversity to global land and climate change 
More about Kate / Email Kate
Blanche Cameron
Blanche Cameron
Environmental Design Lecturer, The Bartlett School of Architecture
Climate focus: Green Infrastructure and nature-based solutions for urban adaptation, mitigation and ecological regeneration. Climate resilience and healthy, equitable, biodiverse futures for all. 
Email Blanche
Professor Jacquie McGlade
Prof Jacquie McGlade
Professor of Natural Prosperity, Sustainable Development and Knowledge Systems, UCL Institute for Global Prosperity
Climate focus: Knowledge systems that express the dynamics of our planet, its ecosystems, geophysical processes and interactions that human societies have with the natural world to survive and prosper.
More about Jacquie / Email Jacquie
Alex Pigot
Dr Alex Pigot
Senior Research Fellow Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment
Climate focus: modelling and understanding risks to biodiversity from ongoing and future climate change
More about Alex / Email Alex
Jon Bridle
Prof Jon Bridle
Professor of Evolutionary Biology
Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research (CBER)
Climate focus: Evolutionary responses to climate change and their effects on ecological resilience
More about Jon / Email Jon
Tim Newbold
Dr Tim Newbold
Principal Research Fellow, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment
Climate focus: Understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity
More about Tim / Email Tim

 

Richard Pearson
Prof Richard Pearson
Professor of Ecology
Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research
Climate focus: Impacts on species distributions and ecosystem services
More about Richard / Email Richard

 

 

Climate action on campus

 

Geraint Rees
Professor Geraint Rees
Dean of the UCL Faculty of Life Sciences
As Chair of the Sustainability Steering Group, I provide support, advice and enthusiasm from our senior management team.
More about Geraint / Email Geraint
Simon Knowles
Simon Knowles
Head of Coordination (SDGs)
Developing the UCL Sustainable Development Goal Initiative, which aims to maximise UCL’s impact on the SDGs, including SDG13: Climate Action.
Email Simon
Andrew Huddart
Andrew Huddart
Principal Partnerships Manager (New Technologies, Energy & Engineering)
UCL Innovation & Enterprise
Andrew helps develop innovation partnerships between UCL and companies or civic partners around technologies.
Email Andrew

 

John Draper
John Draper
Head of Administration
Psychology and Languages Sciences (PALS)
We can all make a difference to negate the effects of climate change. I’m proud to be part of the PALS Green Team who have consistently shown a major commitment to sustainability. 
Freya Roberts
Freya Roberts
Climate Change Project Manager, UCL Climate Action Unit 
Freya coordinates projects providing scientific expertise to support climate action initiatives in the policymaking, media, and civil society sectors. 
Email Freya

James Davis
James Davis
Director of Alumni Relations
James and colleagues within the Office for the Vice Provost (Advancement) develop alumni and supporter partnerships to fuel the ambitions and impact of UCL.
Email James
Grace Yang
Grace Yang
I am working to support sustainability action on campus.
Email Grace
Sunbul Akhtar
Sunbul Akhtar 
Journals Coordinator, UCL Open: Environment 
UCL Open Environment publishes and showcases the latest and most critical research on all aspects of the Environment.
Email Sunbul

 

UCL Climate Hub

 

Jason Clarke
Jason Clarke
Assistant Sustainability Director UCL
I lead Sustainable UCL to embed sustainability across the university’s activities.
Email Richard
Hannah Biggs
Hannah Biggs
Senior Sustainability Manager
I’m taking forward UCL’s climate action programmes across energy, travel, resources and engagement.
Email Hannah
James Paskins
Dr James Paskins 
Deputy Director, UCL Grand Challenges 
The Grand Challenges support cross-disciplinary collaborations under a range of societally important themes, adding 'Climate Crisis' in academic year 2023/24. 
Email James
Jane Yelloly
Jane Yelloly 
Campaign Manager
I oversee UCL's climate campaign UCL 'Generation One'
Email Jane
Becca Burns
Dr Becca Burns
Strategic Research Facilitator UCL Environment Domain
Developing multidisciplinary collaborations and enhancing research support via the UCL Environment Domain
Email Becca
Katherine Welsh
Katherine Welch 
Head of Partnerships
Public Policy and Grand Challenges
Katherine helps build connections between research and policymakers to drive climate action. 
Email Katherine
Elli Lee
Elli Lee
Senior Sustainability Engagement and Communications Officer. I am leading on UCL’s Climate Hub Project management and COP communications strategy.
Email Elli